Chubby Chipmunk

Established in 2005, Chubby Chipmunk has taken chocolate lovers by storm. From families’ traveling through the beautiful Black Hills to Hollywood A-lister’s – everyone seems to be falling in love with these hand-dipped chocolate truffles.

Chubby Chipmunk recently opened a second location in the lobby of Hotel Alex Johnson showcasing their luxurious assortment of hand-dipped chocolates to locals, hotel guests, and patrons of downtown Rapid City.

Whether you want to indulge your taste-buds with the rich flavors of dark chocolate and caramel, dive into the nostalgic taste of a root beer float truffle, or heat things up with jalapeno infused chocolate –Chubby Chipmunk hand-dipped chocolates produces a unique chocolate experience for all tastes. Many of the decadent chocolate truffles are gluten-free and some flavors are also available in sugar-free, and they are all handmade, hand-dipped, and hands-down delicious!

Chubby Chipmunk Hand-Dipped Chocolates was founded by owner Mary “Chip” Tautkus. Opening the Deadwood storefront in 2005, her plan was for a small, one-woman operation specializing in hand-dipped chocolate truffles; but fate saw a bigger future for the woman who says she puts love into every piece of chocolate she makes. One day an editor for Rachael Ray Magazine made a pit stop at the store on her way through the Black Hills. The editor fell head-over-heels for their hand-made delicious chocolate truffles and wrote a story on Chubby Chipmunk. Since then, the company has become famous around the country for their chocolate truffles. Chubby Chipmunk’s hand-dipped chocolates have been featured in gift baskets at the Country Music Awards and the 2013 Grammy Awards.

Fortunato No.4 Chocolate

In addition to world class chocolate truffles and other hand-dipped chocolates, Chubby Chipmunk is South Dakota’s exclusive retailer of Fortunato No.4 – a chocolate bar made from the one-of-a-kind Pure Nacional beans. In the early 19h century, chocolate from the Pure Nacional cocoa bean was the leading type of fine chocolate in the world. The rich smoothness enchanted European chocolatiers who imported the beans from its native Ecuador. In 1916, however, many of the Pure Nacional trees began dying off from disease. These unique beans were believed to be lost forever, until a small number of trees were discovered growing on a few isolated Peruvian farms in 2007. Dan Pearson and Brian Horsley, who rediscovered the beans, then founded Marañón Chocolate – the company that distributes Fortunato No.4 chocolate to a limited number of retailers across the world. Chubby Chipmunk is the only retailer for this fine chocolate in South Dakota.

For a truly extraordinary taste experience, be sure to stop by the new Chubby Chipmunk location in the lobby of the Hotel Alex Johnson. Indulge yourself in an endless variety of decadent, award-winning chocolate while enjoying the relaxing, historical atmosphere of downtown Rapid City. Pair the chocolate truffles with a freshly brewed beverage from Seattle’s Best Coffee and embrace the historic splendor of the Hotel Alex Johnson lobby, celebrating its 85th anniversary this year.